This post will focus on high potency iodine dosages for regular use. That is, daily doses in mg amounts. This precludes consideration of nascent iodine which is in mcg amounts. We have a short post about nascent iodine and why we think it should not be bothered with except for those few cases of extreme sensitivity to iodine.
For those who are new to supplementing with iodine, experiencing side effects could be a good sign as we expect increased levels of iodine in the body to trigger detox processes. However, this is not a battle we should be charging into. Iodine affects many different tissues, systems and functions in the body and so it is difficult to predict how this will play out for a given individual. Some will have only positive reactions like more energy and clear thinking. Others may experience various discomforts during the day and also at night. As an advocate for iodine supplementation, we strongly believe in its capacity to improve lives. By the same token, iodine as a nutrient, must be respected and approached with care.
In the second half of 2021 we maintain that 12.5 mg is a good daily target for most people. It must be considered that our formula includes ingredients like Selenomethionine (or Selenium) that help to recycle iodine in the body. This formula also has more elemental iodine and supporting minerals than other brands.
We acknowledge that in the modern environment there is more to contend with. However, iodine is not the only nutrient to help resist the harmful effects of say EMF radiation and halogens. Also consider that the little factories and many distribution networks that process and move nutrients throughout the body are not necessarily scalable. Adding more nutrients, with the resulting by-product, can be counterproductive and we may end up burdening the body’s clearing functions.
Taking higher iodine dosages may feel good or help to keep other health issues at bay. High doses of iodine could be masking other health issues. We should resolve health issues directly and try to avoid patchwork solutions. Moreover, therapeutic doses that are required for certain conditions and should be done under the care of a health professional.
Finally, our bodies utilize a wide range of nutrients and compounds. Adding more of one or a few nutrients could result in an imbalance which can be difficult to detect and with consequences that are difficult to predict. Our approach then with most nutrients is to take only what you need. That is why our formulas will never have an very high dose of any one ingredient and tend to have a variety of nutrients at lower doses that work together. This is easier for our body to manage, makes for safer supplementation and can be sustained for longer periods of time. Of course, there is nothing wrong with taking breaks if you feel your body is telling you to do so.
For iodine dosages we recommend that you start low and slowly increase to 12.5 mg or more until you experience any effects. This could be done by taking 12.5 mg pills on alternate days, or breaking the tablet in half and taking daily, or even taking half a pill every other day. Whichever you are comfortable with. If taking half a pill every other day still seems like too much then you can try a 1 mg tablet to begin with. For more sensitive users, which should be a very small group, if 1 mg daily is too much then you may want to start with a nascent iodine product which we consider to be a micro dose of iodine.
